Dreams and Space: Hikaru Kurosaki VS Kai Yokatsu
After a few months readjusting to life in the World of the Living, Hikaru continues his peaceful life at the Winery. Until one day... The Daydreamer "Hikaru!" called out Kirika Kurosaki, the wife of Hikaru Kurosaki. "Hikaru!" "What's up, Kirika?" asked a tired Mizu. "Why are you screaming Hikaru's name over and over?" "He's run off again, and I don't know where he is," answered Kirika. "Wait, which Hikaru are we talking about?" asked Mizu. Kirika narrowed her eyes. "You know who. My husband. Why even ask that?" "Just wanted to clarify," said Mizu, mock defending himself. "There are a lot of Hikarus in the world." "Don't I know it. HI-KA-RU!!" yelled Kirika. "Maybe you should look for Nodoka and John. Hikaru may be training with them," Kirika glanced at Mizu, blankly staring at the younger Kurosaki brother. His hands were clapped over his ears. "I don't scream that loudly." "What?" asked Mizu. Kirika shoved him slightly, then ran off to where Nodoka and John usually trained. As she ran, she felt a strange presence in the area; one unfamiliar to her. Off in the distance, a man in a dark cloak was approaching Kirika. He slowly began to increase his spiritual pressure so it would be felt. "Interesting," Kirika's desperate look for her husband turned to that of a hardened warrior's gaze. "It's rare to have visitors like this one." She walked slowly to the main gate, opening it up to the streets. She could see a dark figure at the end. As soon as she opened the gate, the figure flashed to her side. The tall man looked at her and said, "Greetings." "Hello. You don't look like a door to door salesman," said Kirika flatly. "May I ask who you are?" "He is Kai Yokatsu. Former Captain of the Seventh Division," said Hikaru. "EEP!" Kirika jolted at Hikaru's sudden presence. "Don't do that! And where were you?" "I was practicing a new form of my Shikai." Hikaru put a hand to the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "It wasn't going too well." "What do you mean?" inquired Kirika. "You don't want to know. Really, you don't," said Hikaru, firm in his words. "So, a former Seventh Division Captain comes knocking on my doorstep. What's the occasion?" Kai removes the hood of his cloak, and begins to speak. "I am here on behalf of the Akebono. We are summoning you for questioning. My team was hesitant to bring you in, so I thought it would be fitting for a former Captain to bring you in. I mean no harm, but we just want to talk." "Questioning?" Hikaru eyed the visitor cautiously. "Like where I've been the past 18 years? Or how my Zenkai ripped open Dangai like a knife to rice paper?" Kirika clutched her husband's right arm. "That's becoming common knowledge, you know. And I do not take well to organizations that I haven't heard of coming and taking my husband away." "No offense, but I seriously doubt the activities of a Yonkō-turned winery owner should concern the Gotei 13. Besides, as I remember it, I was put onto a hit list for war crimes before I left. You must understand how I feel when I'm being called in for questioning." Kai nodded towards Hikaru. "I am sure that you are hesitant, but honestly, I must insist." Kai looked at Kirika and said, "I am sure that you are not comfortable with the idea of our group questioning your husband. However, I assure you that all we want to do is talk. We are investigating a few things." "And what might those things be?" asked Hikaru. "I might cooperate if I was told about what you are investigating." "I am afraid that I cannot reveal the matter without the rest of the members. You will just have to trust me," Kai retorted. "And there goes the chance," countered Hikaru, turning towards his home with Kirika at his side. "Try again when you're willing to reveal more information." Kai flashed in front of the couple, leaving behind his cloak and revealing his Akebono Haori. "I am afraid that I cannot let you do that." Kai's face was still warm with intent, but his eyes had a small flame that was increasing. Kirika began exuding her own spiritual pressure, turning from a river, to a lake, to a vast ocean of power. "Hikaru has just gotten back. I will not let you or anyone else take him away." "Rukia." The wife of the Yonkō of Zanjutsu looked at her husband with surprise, remembering that he only called her by her given name when his fighting spirit ignited. The ferocity he had in his eyes was familiar to her. It was of a man willing to risk everything to protect his family. What she did not understand is that Hikaru had already risked it all in the name of protecting those he loved. The war was over, and peace was abundant. Why on earth did this former 7th Division Captain have to come here now? Hikaru cupped his wife's head tenderly in his hands. He kissed her fully on the lips, transmitting his oceans deep love for her. When they broke the kiss, he simply said. "I am not leaving. Never again." Whatever he was doing to seal his spiritual pressure was now unlocked, and the intensity of his reiatsu filled the air, making the atmosphere heavy from his presence. Kai closed his eyes for a moment and then looked at Hikaru. He then reached for his sword. "Hikaru Kurosaki, as the leader of the Akebono, I am taking you in for questioning." Kai began to exert his own spiritual pressure. The two forces combined made nearby trees collapse. Hikaru glanced over to the fallen arbor. "Hikaru!" A disheveled 19 year old appeared from what appeared to be the window to Bella's room. "What? I'm kind of busy!" Hikaru pointed to the fallen trees. "Clean that up." "Why?" asked the other Hikaru, pained. "Just do what Hikaru-sama says!" called Bella. "Am I the only one getting confused by this?" asked Kirika. "What's to be confused about?" asked the Hikaru from Bella's room. "I'm Hikaru Kuraihi, and the guy making the real mess is Hikaru Kurosaki. Simple!" ".....Why did I get involved, again?" Kai thought to himself as he stood still. "......" Kai stood silent. Hikaru (Kurosaki) glanced over at Kai. "Oh come on, you see something that could only be arranged in manga or novels, and all you do is stand silent?" Hikaru rubbed the back of his head. "Seriously, what is it with kids these days? Ah whatever. It's too crowded here, so let's find some other battlefield to ravage." He looked over to his right. "Nodoka! Send us to your inner wo-" Black cocoons of willow branches swallowed Hikaru and Kai. "Huh," mused Hikaru (Kuraihi). "He's gone." "So he is," said Bella, wearing nothing but a bed sheet. "Do I still have to clean up the trees?" asked Hikaru to Kirika. "If you don't mind eating from a dumpster behind a seafood restaurant," said Kirika without skipping a beat. Crashes and other sounds could be heard from the younger Hikaru as he scrambled to find his clothes. Kirika smirked. Space of the Cloud's Shadow "So...Welcome to Za Mokumoku. Population 145,313 spiritually modified weeping willow seeds, and 23,490 spirit squirrels in a decline," said Hikaru, summing up the dreary skies of Nodoka's personal dimension. "We can wreck havoc here without any effect on the world around us." Kai looked around at his surroundings and commented, "Well, this is not the most amusing place. In any event, I suppose we should get started here." Kai drew his sword. "I guess we should," said Hikaru holding out his left palm towards Kai. As he did so, yellow energy began to form in the shape of a sphere. "Saikō Tsuin-Hō." Hikaru fired the sphere as a condensed beam of reiatsu towards Kai. Kai quickly held out his blade and called out, "Hado 58: Tenran." His blade began to spin and create a tornado, hopefully stopping the attack. Hikaru's initial attack crashed against the tornado with violence, yet Hikaru did not fight unprepared. He had charged another energy blast in his right hand, adding it to the first one, effectively doubling its power, tearing through the Tenran. By this time, Kai had appeared behind Hikaru and attempted a wide, sweeping attack with his sword. "Interesting. I was sure he expected this. What is he planning?" Hikaru caught Kai's blade with little effort using his Teishiha. "This is probably the part where you unleash some attack that will work effectively in close combat, right?" Kai looked at Hikaru and smirked. "I'm not stupid enough for that." Kai then flashes away, although, he left his blade in his opponent's hand. Hikaru inspected the blade. "Thanks, but I already have a nice sword." He tested Kai's sword. "Is there a point to this? I don't make a habit of keeping things that don't belong to me." Kai smiled. "Then you may return it." Kai held out his hand and the blade floated back to him. "I have a habit of leaving things behind." "Fair enough," said Hikaru. "That really didn't do anything. Oh, whatever. Getsuga Tenshō!" A huge curved purple moon fang sped towards Kai with the intent to slice him in two. "Bakudo 81: Danku." Kai placed a Kido barrier in the hopes of blocking the attack. "Well, that was very forward." "Yes it was," said Hikaru from behind Kai. "Too bad Danku isn't 360 degree protection." Hikaru pointed his sword edge towards Kai. "Getsuga Tenshō." Kai looked at the incoming attack. He held up his hand, preparing to split the attack in two. "I have a feeling that this will hurt" Kai thought to himself as he prepared for the strike. "Like only a lot," sent Hikaru using his Kokoro Tsūshin (Mind Communication). The blast impacted against Kai, separating into two separate blades. When they contacted with Kai's Danku, a great explosion of energy rocketed towards Kai's back. Kai was sent flying due to the impact of the blast. "I should take this guy seriously. He could prove to be more of a problem than we first thought." ''Kai stood up and looked at his sword and then at Hikaru. "It seems that you are quite the opponent, eh? It seems that I have to work in order to catch you." Hikaru blinked. "Usually, I'd tell the truth in how I was not using my full power in those attacks, but I suppose that has become passe. Instead, I'll just show you who you and your organization are dealing with." Hikaru held out his sword, a sakabatō. "Earlier, when I fired a Getsuga Tenshō, did you notice me drawing my sword? Because you gave no indication that you did. So if you can't track my sword in its sealed form, how can you hope to track its Shikai? Now you will understand." Hikaru began to glow in a dark purple aura, his reiatsu steadily rising. "Shine in the darkness, Tenshitō." The flame-like aura around Hikaru spiked to a grand inferno of spiritual pressure surrounding him. His blade did not change, but the look of a man who had seen thousands upon thousands fall before him adorned Hikaru's face. "Your move, Kai Yokatsu." Kai glared at his opponent and then once again at his sword. "So, you plan on being serious, now." Kai pointed his blade towards Hikaru and said, "By order of the Akebono, I, Kai Yokatsu, will take you into custody. Prepare yourself." Kai's reiatsu began to glow in a black cloak. Kai flashed behind Hikaru and stated, "Ikkotsu." He released a blast of his spiritual pressure into his fists and attacked his enemy at point-blank range. The punch hit Hikaru, propelling him across Za Mokumoku. "Was that it?" The real Hikaru stood behind Kai. "That was just an afterimage." Hikaru brought down his blade to Kai's left shoulder. Kai managed to evade the attack for the most part, although his shoulder was sliced. "''Now the fun begins." ''Kai, with his opponent still behind him, lifted his sword up to his wound and collected the blood. He then turned around to face his opponent. "Interesting," said Hikaru. "I cut you, with my sakabatō, a reverse-bladed sword. Did you perhaps weaken your reiatsu deliberately? What are you planning, Kai Yokatsu?" The Light of Death Appears Kai smiled and then said, "You will see, soon." Kai began pouring his spiritual pressure into his left palm. "Shakkahō." Kai then released a large blast of energy towards his opponent. He then lifted his right hand and dissipated the blast. After the blast dissipated, he lunged towards Hikaru and attacked with his blade. The red-haired Shinigami parried his opponent's blows with ease, thinking about the location of the blast Kai had fired. Kai turned around and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick. "Come on, dodge it." Hikaru blocked the kick with his sword, which he could do so because of its dull edge. "Nah. I'll block." "Good." Once, again, Kai's leg was cut slightly from the blade. He once again cleaned off his wound with the blade of his sword. "I am sure that you are wondering how the dull edge can cut me, aren't you?" Kai then backed away from his opponent. "Gaki Rekko." Kai created a circle of energy, and then released several projectiles towards his opponent. As the attack occurred, Kai used his spiritual pressure and pulled several of the beams in towards him; then they disappeared. Kai directed the remained beams towards Hikaru. "Huh, that's interesting." Hikaru took the blasts without compromise. Kai looked puzzled for a moment. "''Interesting." ''He waited for Hikaru to make his next move. "Is it my turn?" asked Hikaru, unscathed by the attack. "Let me actually try now." Hikaru's spiritual pressure reached an incredible high. "Getsuga Tenshō." Hikaru swung his sword, sending a small Getsuga towards Kai with the destructive force of the Sōkyoku. Kai smiled and held out his sword with the blade pointing towards the attack. Instantly, the Shakkaho the Kai has used earlier charged towards the Getsuga Tensho, but it possessed more speed and power than a normal one. Instead of trying to cancel the attack, Kai forced his attack to merge with Hikaru's. He then held out his right palm and both attacks dissipated. "''That took more out of me than I thought it would." "Cute," said Hikaru. "You were able to stop a very powerful Getsuga with a Shakkaho. That shouldn't have happened. I think people are underestimating my power." Hikaru held up his sword, now roaring with his immense reiatsu. "Let's try another one and see how you handle it." Hikaru swung down his sword, sending another Getsuga towards Kai, only this one left a vacuum in its wake from its intense velocity. Kai looked at the surge of energy approaching him. "That vacuum is not going to be forgiving. I have to dodge or counter." ''Kai charged directly towards the attack and held out his sword and right palm. "The only way to stop a vacuum is to fill it with space. I will fill it with the reiatsu of your own attack," Kai remarked as he forced his spiritual pressure to match Hikaru's Getsuga Tensho. ''"I hope this works." The moon fang sliced through the reiatsu barrier that Kai attempted to stop it with, grazing his cheek as it passed by. "You threw it off course. You wanted to keep your upper and lower bodies attached." "Well, that would be a novel idea." Kai then touched the wound on his face with his sword. "It seems that our attacks are not making much progress." Kai then closed his eyes and opened them, revaling black voids in his eyesockets. His voice became monotone and he said, "The first sin." Kai then appeared behind Hikaru and reached out his hand and caught his opponent by the neck. He then threw him to the ground with enough force to shatter the surrounding area. Kai then closed and open his eyes again, revealing his normal, brown eyes. Although, he remained silent. "Echo may be the Yonkō of Hohō," said Hikaru behind Kai. "But I'm still a decent practitioner." The Hikaru on the ground was a dummy made of tree roots. "And you're really not understanding who you are dealing with." Hikaru kept the sharp edge of his sakabatō at Kai's neck. "Now, I'm going to admit this, I don't fight as hard as I usually do unless I have a clear understanding about what I am fighting against. It helps if I don't kill first, ask questions later. Too much of that in the old war. So tell me why you need to question me, and you'll get a better fight out of your target." Kai looked at his opponent with no expression. "You are being summoned for the murder of several members of the Yokatsu Clan. The charges were brought by the Noble House of the Yokatsu Clan. You are the primary suspect." Hikaru's eyes widened. The name Yokatsu finally sunk in. He fought against elite clan members during the First Shinigami-Arrancar War. He remembered them as a group of highly trained assasins and interrogators; people Hikaru could not let capture him. "I hardly call killing in war a punishable act unless they were civilians," said Hikaru. "Even though the Gotei 13's actions reached extrema atrocities, the Yonkō endeavored to fight the real enemies. Your clan was probably on that list." Kai paused and then looked up. "They were civilians. They were my siblings." Kai held up his sword as his spiritual pressure began to spin about with great intensity. "Come forth and take your place in the physical world. Rise and cleanse the world of all that is evil." Kai's aura grew black and burned with a black flame. He walked out of the flame with his Shikai released. "Uchu Kukan." Uchu Kukan: Released at last "It was a long time ago. Refresh my memory," Hikaru back, readying his stance to defend. "As I remember it, a lot of groups were trying to off us part way through the war. If people got in our way, we had no choice but to cut them down." Kai looked at Hikaru with a new found intensity. "I no longer answer your questions." Kai held out his Shikai and began charging his energy. Hikaru sighed. "So instead of settling this with a good discussion, we fight instead." Hikaru twirled his blade. "Never was good at reasoning with those after me." He dashed towards Kai, purple energy flowing around Tenshitō. Kai launched his black flames towards Hikaru, focusing them into a single and quick strike. Hikaru responded in kind with a sliver of a Getsuga colliding with the black flames. The contact of the attacks exploded outward, kicking up dust in the area. Hikaru continued through the cloud to match blades with Kai. Kai collided with Hikaru, not shaken by the attack. "Hikaru Kurosaki." Kai then pushed his opponent away. "Your clan and mine have not been friendly in quite some time." Kai released his black flames for the time. "Join the club. We have jackets." Hikaru stood at the ready, a light red energy coating his blade. Kai found a place with a small stump. He then sat down and invited his opponent to have a seat. "Perhaps, we do need a good disscusion." Hikaru shot a glare at Kai. He softened his stance, sheathed his sword, then sat beside Kai. "What would you like to know?"